NASCAR kicked off the 2016 season with the 58th annual Great American Race in Daytona, as with any race there are multiple storylines that emerge from a race. Coming into the race fans wondered things like “How will Chase Elliott do?”, “How will the Charter system effect the race?”, “Will Dale Jr continue his restrictor plate dominance?”, “How will Brian Vickers perform filling in for Tony Stewart?” and a host of others.
As we all now know, the charter system cut the field from 43 to 40, securing 36 drivers’ spots in the field with four “open” slots for teams not granted a charter. The four teams to make the field at Daytona were the #21 Wood Brothers Ford driven by Ryan Blaney, #93 BK Racing Toyota of Matt DiBenedetto, #59 Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet of Michael McDowell and the #40 BK Racing Toyota of Robert Richardson Jr.
Out of the four of these, Ryan Blaney is the only one planning to race a full-time season in his car. McDowell will regularly be in the #95 for Circle Sport-Leavine, DiBenedetto will be in his usual #83 for the rest of the season unless Michael Waltrip chooses to run the restrictor plate tracks. Robert Richardson Jr is driving the #26 for BK on a one race deal.
Blaney finished 19th after looking strong throughout the day
Dibenedetto came home in 40th after a hard crash with Chris Buescher.
Michael McDowell was running well until he missed his pit stall while coming in under caution on lap 165, McDowell came back to finish 15th
Richardson Jr went behind the wall on lap 139, ending his Daytona 500, Richardson Jr finished 38th.
Now onto the youngest pole sitter in Daytona 500 history, Chase Elliott taking over Jeff Gordon’s iconic #24. Chase led three laps but spun into the infield, tearing up the front end of his car when his spoiler dug into the grass. Elliott returned to the race later on and ended up finishing 37th, 40 laps down in his Daytona 500 debut.
Dale Jr, the consensus favorite to win any restrictor plate race, let alone this one, got loose in the short chute and spun his #88 Chevrolet on lap 170, ending his bid for a third Harley J Earl trophy. Jr, running the car nicknamed “Amelia” was a favorite to win after winning his Can-Am dual race on Thursday night. Don’t worry Jr fans, he will rebound at the next plate race, an Earnhardt never stays down long at restrictor plate tracks. Dale Jr wound up finishing a very disappointing 36th.
Brian Vickers, taking over the #14 Chevrolet after Tony Stewart after Stewart’s recent ATV accident ran an admirable race but did encounter some problems early on, spinning his Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet but keeping it off the wall and continuing on to finish 26th
Defending Xfinity Series champ Chris Buescher, taking over the Front Row Motorsports #34 this season, was involved in an incident with Matt DiBenedetto, ending his day with him finishing 39th.
Danica Patrick and Greg Biffle got together with only 17 laps to go. Danica came down low and got turned by Greg Biffle when her rear quarter panel hit the nose of Biffle’s #16. Danica ended up 35th and Biffle was 34th.
Joe Gibbs Racing dominated the race as some expected with Matt Kenseth leading as the white flag flew but teammate Denny Hamlin got a run down the backstretch that continued in turns three and four, Kenseth went high to block but Hamlin went to the middle line, Kenseth followed and was tapped in the rear quarter panel by Hamlin coming to the line, giving Denny Hamlin his first Daytona 500 win over Martin Truex Jr in the closest finish in Daytona 500 history, just .001 seconds was the margin of victory.
- Denny Hamlin
- Martin Truex Jr
- Kyle Busch
- Kevin Harvick
- Carl Edwards
- Joey Logano
- Kyle Larson
- Regan Smith
- Austin Dillon
- Kurt Busch
- Ryan Newman
- Aric Almirola
- Kasey Kahne
- Matt Kenseth
- Michael McDowell
- Jimmie Johnson
- Jamie McMurray
- Paul Menard
- Ryan Blaney
- Brad Keselowski
- AJ Allmendinger
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr
- Landon Cassill
- Brian Scott
- Ty Dillon
- Brian Vickers
- Michael Annett
- Trevor Bayne
- David Ragan
- Michael Waltrip
- Bobby Labonte
- Casey Mears
- Clint Bowyer
- Greg Biffle
- Danica Patrick
- Dale Earnhardt Jr
- Chase Elliott
- Robert Richardson Jr
- Chris Buescher
- Matt DiBenedetto
Lap Leaders:
Denny Hamlin 95
Matt Kenseth 40
Kyle Busch 19
Martin Truex Jr 2
Jimmie Johnson 18
Dale Earnhardt Jr 15
Chase Elliott 3
Austin Dillon, Ryan Newman, Brad Keselowski, Brian Scott, Michael Annett, David Ragan, Michael Waltrip and Bobby Labonte 1
This was a clean race, no “big one” which makes the performances of drivers like Regan Smith for Tommy Baldwin Racing and Michael McDowell racing for Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing even more impressive. Not to say that they are not good drivers but their teams are not the traditional powerhouses like Gibbs, Penske, Stewart-Haas or Hendrick but they are talented drivers and it shows at restrictor plate tracks and it showed today at Daytona.
The series heads to Atlanta (really Hampton ,GA but who is keeping score) next Sunday for the Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500 where Jimmie Johnson is the defending race winner.
Beyond The Grandstand 